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Airport purchases 76 acres

Published: Thursday, October 31, 2013 at 1:00 a.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, October 30, 2013 at 9:18 p.m.

The Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport has closed on 76 acres for $1.8 million, court records show.

The transaction comes two months after the airport authority approved the request to buy the property north of Tallevast Road in South Manatee County.

The estate of Heidi H. Boothe previously owned the vacant parcels.

The property was first eyed by area homebuilder and airport authority commissioner Carlos Beruff, who later thought the site would be better served by the airport, given its proximity to the runway.

The purchase price equates to about $23,684 per acre. The airport has no immediate plans for the property.

"It helps protect our approach, and it's sort of a land bank right now," said Rick Piccolo, airport president and chief executive. "It's appropriately zoned for industrial uses, and this allows us to sell it or develop it in the future. We got a really good deal on the land."

<p>The Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport has closed on 76 acres for $1.8 million, court records show.</p><p>The transaction comes two months after the airport authority approved the request to buy the property north of Tallevast Road in South Manatee County.</p><p>The estate of Heidi H. Boothe previously owned the vacant parcels.</p><p>The property was first eyed by area homebuilder and airport authority commissioner Carlos Beruff, who later thought the site would be better served by the airport, given its proximity to the runway.</p><p>The purchase price equates to about $23,684 per acre. The airport has no immediate plans for the property.</p><p>"It helps protect our approach, and it's sort of a land bank right now," said Rick Piccolo, airport president and chief executive. "It's appropriately zoned for industrial uses, and this allows us to sell it or develop it in the future. We got a really good deal on the land."</p>